Apologies if this is the wrong forum, but I know Sydenham is near by. Does anyone know the history of Betts Park, please, and why it was named Betts Park? I think it might be named after an ancestor, and would love to know more.
Many thanks
Matt
Betts Park
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bigbadwolf
- Posts: 726
- Joined: 7 Jan 2008 21:21
- Location: Forest Hill and Sydenham
Re: Betts Park
Matt, I maybe wrong, but I'm pretty certain that the park was named after Edward Ladd Betts (5 June 1815 – 21 January 1872) who was a widely respected and prominent civil engineering contractor who worked on many large projects around the world, but also layed some of the railways in south-east London and Kent.
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Chris Doran
- Posts: 34
- Joined: 19 Nov 2008 03:53
- Location: Penge
Re: Betts Park
Betts Park began in 1927 when Penge Council bought the house and grounds of "Oak Lawn", at one time the vicarage of Holy Trinity Church, Penge, on the corner of Croydon Road and Anerley Road (destroyed in WW2 bombing). The extensive grounds of the house included much of the Croydon Canal remnants almost as far as Seymour Terrace. Parts of the back gardens of the two neighbouring houses were also purchased to form an L-shaped park with an access road down to the present entrance in Croydon Road past the then grounds of Weighton Tennis Club.
The £3000 purchase price and some garden urns were donated by Mr Frederick Betts of Purley, described in the Council Minutes as "a former pupil of St John's School", which he had attended along with Penge's Councillor Gully. Mr Betts was a major property owner in the area.
The Park and Library were formally opened on Saturday 3rd December 1928 at a private event in the library, and to the public on the following Monday, 5th. The Beckenham & Penge Advertiser of 6th December 1928 and his obituary in its issue of 20th January 1944 say that a plaque in the library read:
"In loving memory of Sarah Betts, this park and building were presented by her son, Frederick Betts, to the residents of Penge, 1928".
The earlier article says that Mr Betts was unable to attend the opening ceremony due to a family bereavement which perhaps you can identify. I don't know what happened to the plaque when the library was demolished.
The rest of the canal was bought from the Vicar of Battersea in 1933.
In August 1939 a playing field area called King George's Field in memory of George V was added at a cost of £15,000, and partly-obscured carvings on the Croydon Road gate posts commemorate this.
The Weighton Tennis and Bowls Club's courts in the lower area around the present children's playground were taken over by Penge Council during WW2 and the courts area was later added to the Park.
During WW2 the government tried to save on transport by encouraging people to have their summer holidays at home, and the park hosted a series of events.
Further extensions were made over the years by more back garden space in 1949, the area of the Oak Lawn building in 1968 when it was demolished following subsidence. At some point some neighbouring houses on Anerley Road were also demolished to create a wide front onto the road.
£70,000 was spent on improvements in 1984, but not to everone's liking.
Penge parks always had elaborate floral displays but these were discontinued when Bromley Council was formed.
The 1871 census finds the Betts family, including 12-year-old Frederick, living at 3 Thesiger Road, Beckenham (RG10/872 fo87 p29; reference copyright TNA). St John's School in Penge would have been the nearest at that time.
I have not found any link to Edward Ladd Betts, but it would be interesting to know of one.
He had a, let's say, "somewhat colourful" history as a landlord, which I will defer to a private respose to your e-mail.
The £3000 purchase price and some garden urns were donated by Mr Frederick Betts of Purley, described in the Council Minutes as "a former pupil of St John's School", which he had attended along with Penge's Councillor Gully. Mr Betts was a major property owner in the area.
The Park and Library were formally opened on Saturday 3rd December 1928 at a private event in the library, and to the public on the following Monday, 5th. The Beckenham & Penge Advertiser of 6th December 1928 and his obituary in its issue of 20th January 1944 say that a plaque in the library read:
"In loving memory of Sarah Betts, this park and building were presented by her son, Frederick Betts, to the residents of Penge, 1928".
The earlier article says that Mr Betts was unable to attend the opening ceremony due to a family bereavement which perhaps you can identify. I don't know what happened to the plaque when the library was demolished.
The rest of the canal was bought from the Vicar of Battersea in 1933.
In August 1939 a playing field area called King George's Field in memory of George V was added at a cost of £15,000, and partly-obscured carvings on the Croydon Road gate posts commemorate this.
The Weighton Tennis and Bowls Club's courts in the lower area around the present children's playground were taken over by Penge Council during WW2 and the courts area was later added to the Park.
During WW2 the government tried to save on transport by encouraging people to have their summer holidays at home, and the park hosted a series of events.
Further extensions were made over the years by more back garden space in 1949, the area of the Oak Lawn building in 1968 when it was demolished following subsidence. At some point some neighbouring houses on Anerley Road were also demolished to create a wide front onto the road.
£70,000 was spent on improvements in 1984, but not to everone's liking.
Penge parks always had elaborate floral displays but these were discontinued when Bromley Council was formed.
The 1871 census finds the Betts family, including 12-year-old Frederick, living at 3 Thesiger Road, Beckenham (RG10/872 fo87 p29; reference copyright TNA). St John's School in Penge would have been the nearest at that time.
I have not found any link to Edward Ladd Betts, but it would be interesting to know of one.
He had a, let's say, "somewhat colourful" history as a landlord, which I will defer to a private respose to your e-mail.
Re: Betts Park
Dear Chris,
Thank you very much for your help, much appreciated. As I suspected, this is my great great uncle. Would love to hear more! I'll respond properly to this later, but I am rushing out in a moment - I just wanted you know my gratitude. His bearevement was my great grandfather's death (his brother), and they were very close. When I found the Betts Park on Google, and discovered it was a Mr F Betts, it all seemed to fit, so thank you again.
I'll be in touch, Matt Betts
Thank you very much for your help, much appreciated. As I suspected, this is my great great uncle. Would love to hear more! I'll respond properly to this later, but I am rushing out in a moment - I just wanted you know my gratitude. His bearevement was my great grandfather's death (his brother), and they were very close. When I found the Betts Park on Google, and discovered it was a Mr F Betts, it all seemed to fit, so thank you again.
I'll be in touch, Matt Betts
Re: Betts Park
Hello bigbadwolf, I realise that I completely forgot to reply to this.bigbadwolf wrote:Matt, I maybe wrong, but I'm pretty certain that the park was named after Edward Ladd Betts (5 June 1815 – 21 January 1872) who was a widely respected and prominent civil engineering contractor who worked on many large projects around the world, but also layed some of the railways in south-east London and Kent.
I have to admit that when I Googled this "Betts Park" that's precisely what I thought, but I see now after some research and thanks to Chris, that it was in fact my ancestor.
I wanted to also confirm that Edward Ladd Betts (as far as I am aware with my research so far) is not related to my Betts family tree....
Thanks again for everyone's help....